Villa Park scene for semi final
FOOTBALL fans may recognise the distinctive stands of Villa Park in these photographs but it is not the Villa playing.
It was Saturday, March 27, 1954 when Villa Park was the neutral venue for the FA Cup semi final clash between two Staffordshire sides – the Black Country’s West Bromwich Albion and the Potteries’ Port Vale.
Taking the field for Albion that day were: Norman Heath, Stan Rickaby, Len Millard, Jimmy Dudley, Jimmy Dugdale, Ray Barlow, Frank Griffin, Reg Ryan, Ronnie Allen, Johnny Nicholls and George Lee.
The players for Port Vale were: Ray King, Stan Turner, Reg Potts, Albert Mullard, Tommy Cheadle, Roy Sproson, Colin Askey, Albert Leake, Basil Hayward, Derek Tomkinson and John Cunliffe.
On their way to the semi final the Baggies had dispatched Chelsea, Rotherham United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, while the Vale’s route had taken them past Darlington, Southport, Queens Park Rangers, Cardiff City, Blackpool and Leyton Orient.
The match was eagerly anticipated and 68,221 fans crammed into Villa Park. Albion were top of the First Division, two points clear of Black Country rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Port Vale were also flying high and leading the Third Division North. Albion were the highest scorers in all the Football League while Vale boasted the country’s best defence, having conceded only 17 goals in 41 games. Vale took the game to the Baggies, restricting the fancy-dans of the First Division and taking the lead in the 39th minute with a goal from Albert Leake. Albion fought back in the second half and equalised with a fluke goal from Jimmy Dudley. George Lee was brought down just outside the penalty box but the referee awarded a spot kick to Albion, which Ronnie Allen duly converted to give the Baggies the lead. In the closing minutes, Vale thought they had equalised through Leake but the goal was disallowed for offside. Albion went on to play Preston North End in the cup final at Wembley, winning 3-2.